1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments generally relate to a rotatable scanner and an image forming apparatus including the rotatable scanner, in which the rotatable scanner has a compact structure that facilitates lifting of the scanner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, facsimile machines, printers, and multifunction devices having at least one of copying, printing, scanning, and facsimile functions, typically form a toner image on a recording medium (e.g., a sheet) based on image data using electrophotography.
For example, a charging device charges a surface of a photoconductor serving as an image carrier. An optical writer emits a light beam onto the charged surface of the photoconductor to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor according to the image data. A development device develops the electrostatic latent image with a developer (e.g., toner) to form a toner image on the photoconductor. A primary transfer roller transfers the toner image formed on the photoconductor onto an intermediate transfer belt. After a secondary transfer roller transfers the toner image carried by the intermediate transfer belt onto a sheet, the toner image is fixed on the sheet by heat and pressure applied by a fixing device. Thus, the toner image is formed on the sheet.
After image formation, the sheet bearing the toner image is discharged to an output tray provided on an upper surface of the image forming apparatus. One known related-art image forming apparatus includes a rotatable scanner provided at the rear of the image forming apparatus, with the output tray attached to a bottom surface of a scanner body. Since the rotatable scanner rotates upwards, a user can visually confirm the discharged sheet stacked on the output tray and easily remove the sheet. In addition, a front edge of a document holder portion of the scanner includes a concave portion that enables the user to easily catch the document holder to lift the scanner.
However, due to growing demand for compact and lightweight image forming apparatuses, the document holder has become thinner, and consequently the height of the concave portion has shrunk. As a result, the user has trouble catching the concave portion to lift the scanner.
Accordingly, there is a need for a compact image forming apparatus including a compact rotatable scanner that still enables a user to easily lift the scanner.